


Early Mornings

by nielatte



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Early Mornings, Fluff, Hair Braiding, M/M, Morning Kisses, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:40:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26754454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nielatte/pseuds/nielatte
Summary: Tan Jiahao almost never sleeps in, so what's Cai Xiang supposed to do when he wakes up first?
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character, Tan Jiahao/Cai Xiang
Kudos: 1





	Early Mornings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bunymoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunymoon/gifts).



> You may create transformative works as long as you receive my explicit permission to do so. Do not cross-post on any other sites or create any translations without my permission either.
> 
> Other than that, enjoy this fluffy cuteness!

It wasn’t often that Cai Xiang woke up before Tan Jiahao. Typically the older was up with the sun and off to work, beginning his day of sorting through files and letters and all sorts of things that Cai Xiang found so incredibly boring. 

Today, though, Cai Xiang had the good fortune to wake up first. He was able to admire Tan Jiahao without the other making some teasing comment. He was able to sit there and memorize every feature and line on his lover’s face. Everything from the faintest freckles on Tan Jiahao’s nose to the individual eyelashes brushing his cheeks.

He was able to admire the other’s peaceful expression, the older never appearing quite this relaxed unless he was asleep. Usually there were some dark circles beneath his eyes and an angry furrow to his brow. Usually he didn’t sit still long enough for Cai Xiang to really sit there and just take him in. 

Tan Jiahao didn’t like sitting still. He never had. He always had to be moving, always had to be fidgeting somehow. He looked over his shoulder a lot, even when it was just the two of them sitting in their room.

Cai Xiang had tried everything to just get him to relax. Tea, alcohol, even just quiet walks after the moon had risen high into the sky. Cai Xiang had even agreed to sparring with the older - bad idea, do not recommend doing that - in an attempt to get him to just let loose. Nothing seemed to do the trick.

Now, though, everything was well. It was quiet. The birds were chirping softly, and Cai Xiang could hear the faint whisperings of a breeze blowing by their windows, but otherwise he was being left alone with his thoughts. Typically, Cai Xiang wouldn’t like that. He’d do something to fill the silent void, be it tapping his foot or even just humming. Where Tan Jiahao didn’t enjoy stillness, Cai Xiang disliked silence.

For some reason, everyone seemed to be somewhat surprised when they realized that Tan Jiahao and Cai Xiang were together. It had something to do with Cai Xiang’s typical hyperactivity and the stoicism that his lover projected. If you asked Cai Xiang himself about how this happened, he’d only laugh.  
“Jiahao-gege isn’t as mean as you think. You’re just not persistent enough,” Cai Xiang would tell them. 

It was true. Tan Jiahao hadn’t had anyone nearly as dead set on getting his attention or approval before Cai Xiang came into the picture. He’d get random flirting every now and again, but then the person took one look at the grouchy scowl on his face and scampered off to bother someone else. That hadn’t been the case with Cai Xiang. The little gremlin (hence the nickname Linnie) had found a way to insert himself into Tan Jiahao’s life, and neither of them were complaining about it. They had a mutual understanding of each other that neither could quite explain. 

Now, though, the intricacies of their relationship were the farthest things from Cai Xiang’s mind. He was dead set on taking in as much as he could and enjoying these quiet moments, even if his lover wasn’t awake.

Seeing Tan Jiahao like this was rare enough, but what was rarer was the fact that his hair, as dark as the midnight sky, was down. Usually it was up in a tight bun or ponytail, secured with a mossy green ribbon that Cai Xiang had gifted him before they got together. He hated having it in his face, and often fell asleep without letting it down due to falling asleep at his desk while working.

His lover’s hair being down provided Cai Xiang with an opportunity that he rarely had, one he wasn’t going to pass up on. Reaching over, Cai Xiang began to gently card his fingers through Tan Jiahao’s hair. It was silky and smooth, as expected, with hardly any knots. Cai Xiang found himself wanting to just sit there and brush it for a while, something that Tan Jiahao had done for him on occasion to calm him down.

Cai Xiang zones out, running his fingers through Tan Jiahao’s hair as he loses himself to reminiscing. He thought about the previous months, where he’d come to Tan Jiahao begging for some sort of occupation. He hadn’t known what his future lover’s business had been back then, and now that Cai Xiang was aware and experienced he half regretted not asking more questions. He’d needed the money, though, or his older brothers would have been angry.

Money aside, though, Tan Jiahao had begun to wake up. Cai Xiang hardly realized, having begun to braid the tiniest of little sections. How long his lover simply lays there and allows it escapes him, too. He’s so oblivious that he jumps slightly once Tan Jiahao actually speaks, almost dropping his little braid sections.

“You know, Linnie, if you’d wanted to do this, you could’ve just asked.”

Damn Tan Jiahao and his easy aloofness. The morning voice had surprised Cai Xiang as well. You’d think that Cai Xiang would be used to this by now, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The easy smile on his partner’s face has him grinning too, though, and he leans down to press a little kiss to the older’s cheek.

“You’re usually gone by the time I wake up, Jiahao-gege. Besides… you just looked so freaking cute. How could I have resisted?” Cai Xiang tries to ignore how he trips over his words a bit, although he can tell by how Tan Jiahao’s smile shifts into a teasing smirk that he’s caught on.

“It’s okay. Y’know I don’t mind.”


End file.
